Page 76 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies - Textbook w videos short

his ministry (2 Kings 6:13). On one occasion, Elisha led blinded enemy soldiers into Samaria (2 Kings
6:19), which was about a two hour walk (nine miles) away.

Lower Galilee
The “Bread Basket” of Israel is the land known as “Lower Galilee.” Stretching from the Mediterranean
Sea on the west, it covers the entire Jezreel Valley until it reaches the fertile Jordan River Valley and the
river itself as its eastern boundary. It goes as far north as the Sea of Galilee. It is separated from Samaria
in the south (or the West Bank today) by the Carmel Mountain Range and the Gilboa Mountain Range.

Mount Gerizim Mount Ebal

Gerizim is the mountain on the southern side of Shechem, Ebal is the prominent hill on the northern side of Shechem.
which lies between Gerizim and Ebal. Ebal is 3,076 feet above the sea and 1,200 feet above the

valley below it. Moses had given instructions for six tribes to
An aging Joshua made his farewell speech in this location. one day stand on Ebal and renew the covenant

(Deuteronomy 27:12-13). When Joshua took the people into
In time, the Samaritans regarded Mount Gerizim as the the land, he and the people did exactly that. On that day,

place to worship rather than the temple in Jerusalem. They Joshua built an altar to the Lord on Ebal (Joshua 8:30-35).

constructed a temple on Gerizim in the Fifth Century BC.

Though that temple was eventually destroyed, Gerizim The discovery of this altar on the northern side of Mt. Ebal

continued to be a sacred mountain for the Samaritans. The has caused quite a stir among the archaeological community.

woman Jesus met at a well here even mentions this detail! Though it may date to the time of Joshua, it does not appear

Under Roman rule, Gerizim had even more prominence. to be in the correct location for the Joshua 8:30-35 event.
Coins produced by Rome in 138-161 AD had an image of the

temple on Mt. Gerizim stamped on one side showing a

grand staircase leading from Nablus (Shechem) to the

temple itself on top of the hill.

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